Seven people, including six spectators, tragically lost their lives, and over 400 others were injured in various jallikattu and bull taming events across Tamil Nadu on Thursday. Among the fatalities, one person succumbed to injuries after being gored by a bull at the Siravayal manjuvirattu in Sivaganga district. Another spectator died during the Alanganallur jallikattu in Madurai, while two others were killed in separate incidents in the central districts.
In addition, a 30-year-old man was killed in an eruthu vidum vizha (a type of bull race) at Basthalapalli in Krishnagiri district, and a 45-year-old man died following a bull attack at the Sentharapatti jallikattu in Salem district. Another tragedy occurred when a bull owner drowned while attempting to retrieve a runaway bull in Siravayal.
The jallikattu events across Pudukottai, Karur, and Trichy districts resulted in 156 injuries. At the Alanganallur jallikattu, 76 people, including 17 bull owners and 33 spectators, were injured. One of the spectators, P Periasamy (56) from Mettupatti, passed away despite medical efforts.
At the Mangadevanpatti event in Pudukottai, a bull fleeing the arena struck and killed 70-year-old S Perumal from Odugampatti. Another fatality occurred at the Ratchandar Thirumalai (RT Malai) jallikattu in Karur district, where Kuzhandhaivel (65) from Trichy died after being injured by a bull.
In total, multiple jallikattu events saw significant injuries, including 52 at RT Malai, 38 at Vanniyan Viduthi, and 56 in Trichy. The events involved hundreds of bulls and bull tamers, with the best bull owners and tamers receiving prizes from government officials.